Records of religious congregations and organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and papers of persons involved in these organizations, supporting the study of the region's social, political and economic history.

What's in this Guide

As immigrants from Asia, Europe, and other U.S. regions started a new life in the Pacific Northwest, they brought their religious traditions with them, establishing organizations and institutions that linked them with their former homeland. The University of Washington Special Collections houses many resources that document the role of organized religion in the Pacific Northwest and the interrelationship of faith and society. For oral histories, photographs, and other documents pertaining to the regional Jewish community, see the Washington State Jewish Archives page.

Congregations- Records of ethnic congregations and the socially progressive Church of People, Seattle

Organizations- Records of church associations and organizations with links to the faith community, documenting social issues of the day

Topics - Papers of individuals and records of organizations associated with specific issues such as civil rights, labor rights, peace, and temperance

Special Collections Visual Materials

Search Special Collections' digital images for photographs of religious activities and organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Be as specific as possible; simply searching by "church" yields hundreds of records.

Many more visual items have not been digitized. Where significant numbers exist relating to a particular organization, these have been described along with the records of that body.